The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-08-03
timely Topics for the Ssntinsls Agricultural
Friends and Readers.
Obtaining Good Farm Understanding the
HOrns-Canada rhis.ies.
Select Crops for PrOfs-POuI!ry Hints
Keep Ga! tbs Witches.
Growing Garden Crops In Dry Weather
Household Hints-Live Stock Notes
Farm Suggestions, Etc.
Obtaining Good Farm Hands,

There are many complaints of the scarcity
OF good farm help, and of the general
worthlessness of that which is available,
and there is much discussion as to the best
methods of remedyipg this state of things.
1t is scarcely the laborer who is to blame
in this matter; much OF the fault has been
with ourselves.
In past times the farmer has been often
pressed for hands, and, anxious to get
someone, he has taken the first one that
has came along. He wanted a man and he
had the exsct wages to give, and the man
came and in due time received a mans
wages. The kind of man hardly ever en-
tered into the ejaculation. To be sure, we
all preferred good man to bad one, Dut
We took little steps towards fading out
before engaging, whether the mau was good
or bad. He was hired-only the mental
resolve was that If good for nothing he
would not be kept long.
At one time farmers were particular
about their reputation and character.
When they left situations they obtain ed
from their employers certificates of char
acter and ability. But the anxiety to get
sJmtone led farmers 10 disregard these
protecting agencies, and they hardly cared
70 read them. At length they became tout
of fashion," and we now rarely hear any
more about them.
But the result of this inc iference works
against tie good hand and in favor Of the
bad enc. All can get places equally well
and-sli get the wages precisely alike. The
good one, to be sure, after he has worked q
year or so and proved himself, can perhaps
get raise, or he has better chance of be-
ing retained longer in situation than q
poor stick; but year is good deal in
n ans life. and besides, however good a
man will be, his job Will often come to al
end in spite Of ms good points, and he has
TO go and prove himself in another place
for another year, and so on. II is hardly
TO be expected that good men, or women
either for that matter, will be well satisfi ed
to continually compete in this way with
the Indifferent, and so not surprising that
somehow or another we find the field left
nearly all to the latter class.
Would not more care on the part of en-
plOyers in regard to previous character and
Behavior help II produce a better class of
service? We think so. OF course these pa
pers can never be wholly reliable. In this
large country, where one can scarcely
know his next neighbor, one would hardly
know whether certificates of character
were forged or not. People certifying may
be hundreds Of miles away, or sometimes
ia the goodness of their hearts they may
give poor fellow a better character than
he d. served in order TO get rid of him
borne in mind while examining them But
with all these drawbacks, they would IN
ooubtt dly be of great value in many in
stances, while they would not make the
case OIL e whit worse than when q man is
set at once TO work and mo questions
asked" But there is another way to OBJ.
tain the necessary information, and this
would be by applying privately to the last
employer, who in this way could have no
motive to give false character or in with
holding the truth.
In regard to women help on farms, it is
chiefly the disregard of these certificates OF
character that has brought on the domestic
difficulties of getting help so many de-
plore. The intelligent, smart girl is hardly
70 be blamed for not entering into compe.
titioD with the host of igDoramuses, all on
The same footing as regards wages and
character.
If some intelligence off &c" shall ever
start in which frstclass Testimonials as 10
character and ability, both on the part OF
employer and employed, are required, il
would be we'll supported; but 1t would be
useless for any one to attempt this unit
employers ar d employed alike show tha
Trey value these things.-Correspondence
Germantown Telegraph.